Picnic table or bench with truss



Aug. 14, 1962 L. PRUDHOMME PICNIC TABLE OR BENCH WITH TRUSS Filed June10, 1958 IN VEN TOR.

, 3,049,386 Patented Aug. 14, 1962 fifice 3,049,380 PICNIC TABLE ORBENCH WITH TRUSS Lester L. Prudhomme, P.0. Box 572, Texarkana, Tex.Filed June 10, 1958, Ser. No. 741,187 3 Claims. (Cl. 311-84) The presentinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements in patio picnicsets; namely, an elongated table and a pair of complemental or companionbenches for use in conjunction with the table.

Picnic tables and benches are of many and varied types, constructionsand styles. Also, and speaking in terms of generalities, most sets whichare used for home and patio, instead of being crude and rustic forms areusually of wood. More particularly, one may say that the ordinary woodenpatio table is made from comparatively heavy and sturdy lumber, theboards forming the top being often thick to prevent warping and legframes of one type or another being provided at the respectivetransverse ends and which are sometimes joined together by anintervening foot rail or are braced in one way or another.

The object of the instant invention is to provide an improved table anda pair of benches offering the purchaser or user a patio set which issufficiently light in weight that shipping and movability is not toogreatly interfered with. At the same time, and notwithstanding theportability and minimized weight factors, the table and benches arequite as strong and warp-proof and durable as corresponding parts madefrom lumber several times heavier. To this end, it is therefore, anobjective to provide a table or bench which can be made of kilndriedyellow pine, the construction and arrangement being such that while thecomponents are shipped in knock down form they are ready for assemblagerequiring only the use of a screw driver, a wrench, pliers and thenecessary number of screws, bolts and nuts.

More specifically, novelty is predicated not so much on the leg framesor vertical support units, but rather on the leg frames in combinationor conjunction with a top construction employing yellow pine planks andsuitably proportioned yellow pine parts which when assembled on theunderside of the top planks serve to provide a flat warp-resisting andrigid-ifying truss.

Briefly summarized, the invention is therefore characterized by anelongated top structure embodying a plurality of coplanar side-by-sideplanks commensurate in length and cross-section, a truss for theunderneath side of said top structure embodying a plurality oftransversely disposed longitudinally spaced cleats fastened beneath andto the bottom surfaces of said planks, and a lengthwise stabilizingmember at right angles to and secured to the median bottom portions ofall of said cleats, and braced leg frames perpendicular to the topstructure and secured to adjacent parts of said truss.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparentfrom the following description and the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate likeparts throughout the views:

BIG. 1 is an edge elevation of an improved picnic or patio wooden tableshowing how it is constructed and readied for use.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the table.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 3, thetruss-equipped top structure or construction is denoted as an entity bythe numeral 4. Primarily, this top construction is made up of aplurality of kiln-dried yellow pine or equivalent planks or boards 6.These are all the same in length and cross-section and they are arrangedin edge-to-edge coplanar relationship. If desired, air spaces may beprovided between the adjacent lengthwise edges of the respective planks.In any event, the thus assembled planks are joined together by the trussmeans disclosed. More specifically, this means comprises severaltransverse longitudinally spaced cleats 7, 8 and 9. These cleats arearranged inwardly of the respective transverse ends and one at thecenter as at 8. The cleats are of a length corresponding to the width ofthe board or panel table top proper. These cleats 7, 8 and 9 may bereferred to as the primary or main cleats to difierentiate them from apair of shorter auxiliary cleats 10 and 11 also applied and secured tothe underneath surfaces or" the planks. All together the five cleatsprovided serve as attaching members for the longitudinally extendingelongated stabilizing member 12. This member is arranged centrally andjoins with the respective median portions of the cleats 7 to 11inclusive. The planks may be thought of as nailed (not shown) to thecleats or conversely the cleats can be nailed with cement coatedscrew-type nails to the planks. Corner portions will be rounded off forappearance and safety. The finished top construction is thus aptlybraced to rigidity by a flat truss. The leg frames at the respectiveends are the same. The legs may be identified as inner legs 13 and outerlegs 14 said legs having their median portions crossed and bolted orotherwise separably joined together at 15. The same bolt means serves tojoin the lower end portion of a diagonal brace 16 to the legs. The upperend portion 17 of the diagonal brace is suitably mitered and fastenedseparably to a portion of the longitudinal stabilizing member 12inwardly of the outer end thereof. With respect to the legs and bracesit may be said that 2 X 3s are bored for screws and bolts and readiedfor easy assemblage. Furnished with each table would be some eighteenscrews of the same size and six bolts with accompanying washers and nuts(not detailed).

With respect now to packaging, it is to be explained that table tops andbench tops are tied face together. The legs and braces will be nested ina square bundle. The screws and bolts, washers and nuts will be placedin an envelope attached to the top. This makes for packaging andshipping and otherwise handling in knockdown or ready-touse form.Briefly, the instructions for setting up or assembling the constructionwould be to simply place a bolt through the hole near one end of thebrace and through the holes in the center of the legs placing, ofcourse, a washer over the end of the bolt to accommodate the cooperatingnut. The legs are screwed to the ends of the 1 X 4 cleats on theunderside near the ends of the table and bench tops inasmuch as thebenches (not shown) Will be exactly the same as the tables except as toheight. One then resorts to tightening the bolts through the legs andthe braces. It is, of course, necessary to square the leg frames so thatthe legs are approximately perpendicular to the horizontal plane of thebraced top. The upper ends of the diagonal braces are separably boltedas denoted at 17 in FIG. 3.

Any wood (even heart redwood) should be sealed to prevent discolorationand accumulation of dirt and dust.

These yellow pine sets can be painted with any color of outside paint orthey can be stained with the many natural wood colors of colortonedpenetrating wood sealer and one coat of good quality exterior varnish.This sealing and finishing should be done before this kiln-dried lumberhas become wet, dirty or discolored.

On the tables made so far a piece of 1" X 4" lumber serves as the truss.However, it could conceivably be possible to use metal, flat steel,round bar or otherwise to serve this same purpose. Practically all ofthese tables sold so far have been in knockdown form and in truck loadlots which do not require packaging. Of course, I do not want to ruleout the possibility of selling some in packaged form or even assembledand painted.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable picnic-type bench comprising an elongated top structureembodying a plurality of coplanar side-by-side planks commensurate inlength and cross section, a truss for the underneath side of said topstructure embodying a plurality of transversely disposed longitudinallyspaced cleats fastened beneath and to the bottom surfaces of saidplanks, there being five cleats, namely, two end-cleats and onecentrally located cleat all of a length equal to the width of the topstructure, and two equally spaced auxiliary cleats shorter than said endand central cleats and occupying positions spaced from each other inparallelism with each other between the endcleats and central cleat, alengthwise stabilizing member at right angles to and secured to themedian bottom portions of all of said cleats, and braced leg framesperpendicular to the top structure and secured to adjacent parts of saidtruss, each leg frame comprising a pair of legs having cooperatingmedian portions crossed and separably bolted to each other and alsobolted to a cooperating lower end of a diagonal brace, the upper end ofsaid brace being separably fastened to an adjacent end portion of saidlengthwise stabilizing member.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said planks, cleats, andstabilizing member are comparatively thin lumber which is relativelylight in weight, whereby to provide for easy handling and moving,conserving on the amount of lumber required, reducing transporting andfreight handling charges to a minimum while yet insuring strength anddurability equal to relatively massive and heavier tables and benchescurrently being used.

3. For use in erecting and constructing outdoor patio furniture; aportable ready-to-use top construction embodying a plurality of lightweight kiln dried yellow pine coplanar planks uniform in length andcross-section, and a fiat truss for the underneath side of said topconstruction, said truss comprising a plurality of transverselongitudinally spaced bracing cleats fixed in uniformly distributedrelationship to the bottoms of said planks, an elongated plank like thefirst named planks superimposed upon and secured lengthwise and at rightangles to median portions of said cleats, and a pair of X-type legframes each having a diagonal brace separably fastened thereto, theupper ends of the legs and braces being adapted to be fastenedrespectively, to the endmost cleats and end portions of the longitudinalplank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS358,833 Bullock Mar. 8, 1887 749,571 Marrett Jan. 12, 1904 769,354Nielsen Sept. 6, 1904 1,155,971 Thornton et al. Oct. 5, 1915 1,424,419Malarkey Aug. 1, 1922 1,904,060 Kuhn Apr. 18, 1933 2,223,618 Kalisz Dec.3, 1940 2,579,934 Krasney Dec. 25, 1951 2,650,147 Sauder Aug. 25, 1953

